Hat Lore

The History of Canada in a Hat?

You've heard of the fur trade. Did you know that the impetus for the fur trade was a hat? The pelt of the beaver — once the coarse outer layer of hair was removed — could be made into a supple, lustrous and durable felt, ideal for the popular wide-brimmed hats of the 1600s and 1700s. Explorers such as Samuel de Champlain ventured to North America to establish a fur trade with the Native Peoples, who had been using beaver pelt for clothing and moccasins.

The quest for the beaver led to the exploration, exploitation and colonization of the land now called Canada.